Ennai Kathirrikai Curry

Ennai Kathirrikai Curry - (Ennai - Oil, Kathirrikai - Brinjal) is a regular favourite dish in any Tam Bram house, especially from Thanjavur! The curry powder used for this can be prepared ahead and stored.

Variations could be to replace brinjals with Ladies finger or Avarakkai. This is best eaten with hot rice and ghee, or with "Rasam sadam". Enjoy!

Ingredients

Brinjals – ¼ kg
Tamarind Puree – 1 tsp

For the tempering :
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
White Urad dal split – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Gingelly Oil – 4 tsp
Asafoetida
Red Chilli – 1
Turmeric – a pinch
Salt

Curry Powder :
Dhania Seeds – 4 tsp
Urad dal – 2 tsp
Channa dal – 1tsp
Red Chillies – 8-9
Asafoetida

(For the Curry Powder : In a kadai, dry roast the red chillies, coriander seeds, urad dal and channa dal with the asafoetida. Grind this coarsely in a blender and keep it aside.)

Preparation :

The Vegetable : Slice the brinjals lengthwise.

Cooking : In a Kadai, heat the gingelly oil, add the tempering of red chillies, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafetida and turmeric. When it is done, add the brinjals and toss it. Cover and cook for 2 mins, by which it would have become a litte soft.

Open cover, add salt and the tamarind puree. When it is almost cooked, add 3-4 tsp of the ground curry powder and continue cooking till the oil separates from the curry, say about 5 –6 minutes.

Tip : If you are using small round brinjals, remove stem in the top, cut diagonally. When partially cooked, you can stuff this curry powder inside the brinjals and follow the rest of the receipe.